CHI01LA254

NTSB accident investigation · Taylorcraft BC12-D · Wall, SD · July 27, 2001

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
July 27, 2001, 17:30 local (22:30 UTC)
Place
Wall, SD
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N39971Taylorcraft BC12-D
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report October 24, 2002
Report
Approved by Office Director
Parties
FAA
FAA report
20010727020249A
Case key
52907

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The student pilot failed to maintain a proper glidepath, failed to obtain proper climb rate, and executed the go-around improperly. Additional factors included the pilot's lack of experience, the crop, and the soft, wet ground.

Sequence of events

NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.

Loss of control - in flightLanding
Proper glidepath - not obtained/maintainedPilot in commandCause
Go-around - improperPilot in commandCause
Climb - not obtained/maintainedPilot in commandCause
Lack of total experiencePilot in commandFactor
In flight collision with terrain/waterLanding
Nose overLanding - roll
Terrain condition - softFactor
Terrain condition - wetFactor
Terrain condition - cropFactor

Analysis

The airplane sustained substantial damage during landing roll when it nosed over in a wheat field after attempting to land on a runway (3,500 feet by 60 feet), but impacted the terrain about 150 yards past the runway. The airplane nosed over in the soft, wet ground. The student solo pilot reported he planned on doing a "wheel landing" to the first 1/4 of the runway. He used an approach speed of 65 mph. He reported the airplane floated down the runway and when he saw the end of the runway coming up, he elected to do a "go around." He applied full power and the engine sounded normal. He reported the airplane "just would not climb," and that the airplane did not climb more than "16 feet off the ground." He reported, "The controls were not very effective when the right wing was up and then I crashed." The student pilot's total flight time was 38.6 hours, and all of it had been flown in the accident airplane. He reported he had used automobile gas in the airplane, although no Supplementary Type Certificate (STC) had been issued to the airplane for the use of auto gas. The pilot reported the engine was running smooth; it did not "cough" when full power was applied; and it did not have carburetor ice. The pilot reported the winds were calm and the temperature was 85 degrees F. The elevation at 6V4 is 2,810 feet. The density altitude was about 5,031 feet.

Factual narrative

On July 27, 2001, at 1730 central daylight time, a Taylorcraft BC12-D, N39971, sustained substantial damage during landing roll when it nosed over in a wheat field. The 14 CFR Part 91 student solo flight had departed from a private airstrip located at the pilot's ranch at 1715 en route to the Wall Municipal Airport (6V4), Wall, South Dakota. The student pilot attempted to land on runway 12 (3,500 feet by 60 feet), but impacted the terrain about 150 yards past the runway. The airplane nosed over in the soft, wet ground. The student pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed.

The student pilot reported to a Federal Aviation Administration Operations Inspector that he planned on doing a "wheel landing" to the first 1/4 of the runway. He used an approach speed of 65 mph. He reported the airplane floated down the runway and when he saw the end of the runway coming up, he elected to do a "go around." He applied full power. He reported the engine sounded normal, although he did not look at the tachometer. He reported the airplane "just would not climb," and that the airplane did not climb more than "16 feet off the ground." He reported, "The controls were not very effective when the right wing was up and then I crashed."

The student pilot had purchased the airplane and started flying on June 1, 2001. The student pilot's total flight time was 38.6 hours, and all of it had been flown in the accident airplane. He reported he had used automobile gas in the airplane, although no Supplementary Type Certificate (STC) had been issued to the airplane for the use of auto gas.

The pilot reported the engine was running smooth; it did not "cough" when full power was applied; and it did not have carburetor ice.

The pilot reported the winds were calm and the temperature was 85 degrees F. The elevation at 6V4 is 2,810 feet. The density altitude was about 5,031 feet.

Aircraft

Registration
N39971
Reported as
Taylorcraft BC12-D
Category
Airplane
Serial number
6630
Airframe hours
1,084
Engine
Continental A65-8, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Business · Part 91
Registered owner
James Nachtigall
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · June 1, 2001 · 39 hours before
Departed
Owanka, SD
Destination
6V4 · Wall, SD
Airport
6V4 · Wall Airport, runway 12, 3,500 × 60 ft, asphalt

Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
48
Injuries
None
Certificate
Student
Medical
Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
Seat
Left
Flight hours
39 total · 39 in this make and model · 39 in the last 90 days · 39 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
110° at 7 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
81 °F, dew point 52 °F
Altimeter
30.06 inHg
Observed at
RAP, 28 nm away

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.

Other investigations on N39971 · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.